March Madness in Prince George’s County

It is that time of year again: March Madness spreads south from Baltimore and the Men’s CAA Basketball Tournament to bring the CAA Women’s Championship Tournament back to Prince George’s County. “This March marks the fifth year the CAA will call The Show Place Arena home to the Championship and throughout the years it has proven to be a great venue and event for women’s basketball,” said Samantha Barany, CAA Assistant Commissioner for Championships. At the Show Place Arena, the CAA has crowned Champions which have gone on to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament and hosted teams who have won the WNIT tournament. Show Place Arena has also provided a championship site for athletes who have later been drafted and played in the WNBA. This year’s tournament, which is set to take place from the 12th through the 15th, promises to be filled with remarkable sights, memorable moments and fun times guaranteed.

Preparations for this year’s tournament began following the final buzzer proclaiming James Madison University the winner of the 2014 tournament. The planning for such a large event is extensive and the coordination of multiple different parties is needed to complete programs in marketing, ticket sales, facility set-up, media accommodations and management tasks. “The development of this event is a comprehensive process,” said Barany. Through a yearlong collaborative effort requiring the teamwork of The Show Place Arena, Prince George’s County and the Colonial Athletic Association this year’s tournament is going to bigger and better than ever before.

Maryland is central within the CAA’s geographical footprint; encompassing seven of the CAA’s 10 member schools within 250 miles the tournament, which is helpful when considering travel for players and fans. The surrounding area provides for a great meal and restaurant options for teams and their fan bases. Hotels are plentiful and exceed the needs and wants of large travel parties, officials and media staff. The Show Place Arena is TV friendly, providing a well-televised game for anyone to see, although nothing compares to the atmosphere at the games. “Prince George’s County in Maryland is the perfect site for this event,” said Barany. “It is hard to find a reason to go anywhere else!”

For anyone interested in going to the CAA Women’s Championship Tournament tickets are on sale now. Information about the tournament, the bracket and tickets can be found at caasports.com/wbball. To find more information about Prince George’s County and to help plan your trip, information can be found at www.visitprincegeorges.com.